- USS Bittern (AM-36)
USS "Bittern" (AM-36) was a "Lapwing"-class minesweeper in the
United States Navy duringWorld War II . She was named after the bittern, a bird of the heron family."Bittern" was launched
15 February 1919 byAlabama Dry Dock and Shipbuilding Co.,Mobile, Alabama ; sponsored by Mrs. C. R. Doll; and commissioned28 May 1919 , Lieutenant W. P. Bachmann in command.Initial operations
"Bittern's" first duty was as tender to the captured German
submarine UB-88 while she made an exhibition tour of theU.S. Gulf Coast andU.S. West Coast ports.Assigned to the Far East
In January
1920 "Bittern" sailed for theFar East where she remained for the rest of her active service. Throughout most of the next 21 years she wintered atCavite ,Philippine Islands , and summered atChefoo ,China . But the routine was broken occasionally by assignment to scientific expeditions and in September1923 by relief work following theYokohama, Japan , earthquake.Scuttled after attack by Japanese planes
The Japanese air raid on
Cavite Navy Yard10 December 1941 found Bittern undergoing repairs. Although not hit, "Bittern" suffered extensive damage from fire, near misses, and flying debris from USS|Sealion|SS-195 moored alongside. Too badly damaged for repair, the minesweeper was scuttled inManila Bay after her crew had transferred to USS|Quail|AM-15.References
*DANFS|http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/b6/bittern-i.htm
External links
* [http://uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/5188.html uboat.net - Allied Warships - Minesweeper USS Bittern of the ...]
* [http://www.america-at-war.net/wwii1941.html America at War]
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